BURNLEY last night smashed their outgoing transfer record for the second time in a month after Richard Chaplow sealed his £1.5million move to West Bromwich Albion.

The teenage midfielder became the most expensive sale in the Clarets history after the two clubs agreed a seven-figure fee that exceeds the £1.25m

Birmingham City paid for star striker Robbie Blake in early January.

The final fee Albion cough up for Chaplow could rise even further due to a significant sell-on clause inserted in the deal, which was finally rubber-stamped when the 19-year-old signed a three-and-a-half-year deal at the Hawthorns just hours before last nights midnight transfer deadline.

And in a deflated transfer market, Burnley boss Steve Cotterill insists the deal reflects good business for a player with only 48 league starts to his name.

Cotterill said: "For a deal of £1.5 million in cash, with a sell on clause, this is an excellent deal done by the chairman.

"We've held our nerve right until the last minute and obviously now things are finalised, we will all miss Richard around the place.

"I like him as a lad, but we have done well without him when he was injured late last year and we will look to continue to do well in his absence.

"Everyone at the Football Club would like to wish Richard all the very best and hope he continues to further his football career with West Brom."

I understand Chaplow has been keen to link up with the Premiership strugglers ever since their first bid was lodged two weeks ago.

And with January's transfer window now closed until the summer, Cotterill is now breathing a sigh of relief after seeing two valuable squad members leave the club within weeks of each other.

The Burnley boss added: "I met Richard's parents last summer, while contract talks were going on with him, and I said that if the right offer came in at the right time from a Premiership club, we would allow him that opportunity.

"We have been true to our word and now, looking at the big picture, I am delighted it's January 31st because our transfer window started sometime at the back end of November.

"Now I can finally take my head out of the sand because there's no point in denying all this speculation has been unsettling to everyone at this Football Club."